Mazda 626 Electrical Issues

I have a 1999 Mazda 626 LX with the 4 cylinder and auto trans. We just bought it from my wife's grandmothre and it has basically been sitting for the last 7 years. I drove it back to Colorado from California at the end of October. On the trip I noticed the lights were pulsing. Not completely off and on, but definately bright, dim, bright. Not sure if it is related, but on Sunday my wife was driving the car and when she turned on the blinker, the radio went off. She then turned on the the fan and additional electrical things stopped working. This morning the radio and other electrical things stopped working on her way to work. When she parked, she turned the car off and it would not start. Several hours later it did start. However, she only made it 4 of the 7 miles home and it died. We jumped it and made it home, with a little adventure along the way.

When we got it home I chared the battery and test the volts with the car off. 12.3 volts. Then I started it and it only ready 11.5 volts. Assuming this meant an alternator issue, I started messing with the alternator plug. Unfortunately, I forgot to unhook the battery before I jabbed a pair of needle nose pliers into the plug. A big spark later and it cranks, but will not start.

Questions: Is my (initial) electrical problem the alternator? What did I fry when I shorted out the alternator plug?

Comments

Hi, I also seems to have electrical problem. My car yesterday showed the Engine Light and also the Battery Light. I am not sure what is causing it.

Now about your problem, I remember when driving from a hot weather to a cold weather then all of sudden on the freeway every electrical system went totally dead. According to the mechanic it was a fuse. But he charged me $600 to fix it, because according to him he had to do something with the alternator. I am not sure if he was telling the truth. So my guess is that it is simply a fuse.

If you know why my engine light and battery light has come on the dashboard and if there is something I can change myself.

I have a 99 Mazda 626 LX 4 cylinder automatic car. Last ngiht the Engine Light and also the Battery Light were turned on the dashboard. I am not sure what is causing it. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

I have so far checked the battery connections and it looks OK. I have very little knowledge about the car, so any help that will guide me what to check for will be much appreciated.

I have a 1998 626. When I turn on the switch for the headlights my right brake light comes on and stays on. Then when I press the brake pedal the left brake light comes on and then goes off when I stop pressing the pedal, but the right brake light still stays on. When the headlights are off, the right brake light will not light up when the brake pedal is pressed, but the left one works fine. I replaced the brake light switch and that did not reslove the issue. Any ideas? Thanks.

I'm having a problem with the dash board & back 3rd brake light. When I put on brakes the parking kights come on the dash board lights up and the next day I have to get a jump!! Does any one have the same trouble (626Mazda 1999 4cl. thanks

My son's 2001 626 has a problem I've not seen before. The "door ajar" dash indicator stays on 100% of the time even when all doors are closed securely and locked. This seems to drain the battery if the car isn't driven for a couple of days-happens a lot when my son is at college. If he doesn't pull the cabin fuse the car won't start after a day or two.

Does anyone have any ideas on where to start trying to diagnose what's going on withis car? It's been a pretty good vehicle for him these past three years.